Lady Gaga's fifth solo LP, Joanne, has debuted at No 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, moving 201,000 equivalent units (including 170,000 pure album sales) to become the fourth highest-debuting collection of 2016, Entertainment Weekly reported.
The studio set, which features songs produced and written by the likes of Gaga, Mark Ronson, RedOne, Josh Homme, Hillary Lindsey, BloodPop, Emile Haynie, and Tame Impala's Kevin Parker, becomes the pop icon's fourth No 1 album in the United States, following similar positioning held by 2011's Born This Way, 2013's Artpop, and 2014's Tony Bennett collaboration, Cheek to Cheek.
Despite selling over 15 million albums worldwide, Gaga's freshman outing, 2008's The Fame, reached a peak of No 2 on the Billboard 200. The album's eight-track follow-up, The Fame Monster, debuted and peaked at No 5 in 2009.
According to Yahoo Music, one problem for Gaga is that Joanne is yet to produce a smash single. Perfect Illusion, the first single from the album, peaked at #15.
The first singles from each of Gaga's previous solo albums or EPs have reached the top five. They were Just Dance (featuring Colby O'Donis, #1 in 2009), Bad Romance (#2 in 2010), Born This Way (#1 in 2011), and Applause (#4 in 2013).
BILLBOARD SINGLES CHARTS (NOVEMBER 6)
Gaga is the first woman with four No 1 albums on the Billboard 200 in the 2010s. She passes Beyonce and Taylor Swift, each with three during the decade.
Among all acts, Justin Bieber and Drake lead with six Billboard 200 No 1 each since 2010, while One Direction and Kanye West each boast four.
